It's Only Forever
by joellynann
Summary: Sarah has moved on with her life, left home, and gone to college. The last thing she expects is the Goblin King to turn up over 6 years later. What does he want and what will it cost her? Rated for future violence and possibly implied sexual encounters. Jareth/Sarah
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone and welcome to my newest fanfic! First off, I am a huge Labyrinth fan, but alas – it belongs to greater minds than mine. (RIP Jim Henson *sad face*) The characters in this story also do not belong to me, but the plot is 100% mine. Please follow and favorite if you enjoy. I love reviews – they keep me going! I'm setting the rating high only because I am not entirely sure how violent the battles are going to be, but I don't expect to have any explicit descriptions of sexual encounters. If that changes, I will make sure to notate that in the beginning of the chapter. That being said… ENJOY! Much love!**

Chapter 1

_"Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great…" Thunder rumbled in the distance. "For my will is as strong as yours, my kingdom as great… Damn. I can never remember that line." I stared at the Goblin King and realization dawned on me. "You have no power over me."_

I came awake with a start. I was in my room, in my bed. I reached blindly for the switch on my bedside lamp, blinking into the sudden light. I was alone. The clock read four am but I knew there was no going back to sleep. The nightmares chased away any hope of resting. After my battle in the Labyrinth, I convinced myself that it was all just a dream. A wonderful, scary, crazy dream, but a dream nonetheless. Well, almost.

I got up and moved into the bathroom, intent on taking a shower to clear my head. I turned the water on and let it get hot before submerging myself under the spray. I was so tense that the water didn't give any relief. I sighed. I had a huge project due in the morning, my art final. I had spent many sleepless nights working on the pieces, trying to make them perfect. Now, I didn't even want to look at them.

I got dressed and turned on every lamp in my apartment to banish the darkness. The kitchen was cold, but the promise of coffee kept my feet firmly planted on the tile. My apartment was small, but I liked living alone and it was all I could afford. My dad and step-mom were paying for school as long as I held down a part-time job for housing. I lived just off of campus, close enough to be able to walk to most of my classes. I had a bike locked in the rack behind the apartment building if I was running late.

I grabbed my sketchbook and settled myself onto the couch, my coffee on the little end table I had found at a yard sale for five dollars. I opened the pad and continued working on a drawing I had started of Merlin, my dog. It still made my chest tight when I thought of him. He had gotten sick last summer and was gone before I returned to college in September. Cancer was such an evil thing. We buried him under the old oak tree in the back yard, his favorite place to nap. It was selfish, but I was glad I wasn't home all the time. It wasn't the same without his wagging tail and unfailing love. Toby had convinced his mom and our dad to let him get a puppy, so at least he wasn't sad, but I didn't want another dog.

I made a mental note to call Toby after I got done school. I still couldn't believe he was almost seven. He was in the second grade and absolutely loved life. He had no idea how close he came to not… No. I refused to even think about it. That world was just pretend. It was all just a bad dream.

I got so caught up in my art that I didn't notice how fast the clock was moving. By the time I looked up, I had very little time to get ready for class. I threw my unruly hair into a messy bun and threw on the first clean clothes I found. Thankfully, most of my clothes were interchangeable. I pulled a sweatshirt on followed by my coat and was out the door.

I hit the café in the art building for another cup of coffee before I raced to my first class, Art History. I slid into my seat just as the instructor was taking roll. Dr. Ogden had a PhD in Fine Art, but still made the rest of us feel like we were in high school. We had assigned seats and had points deducted for talking. The class was tedious and all art majors had to take it at some point or another. To me, it was simply a necessary evil on the road to my dream of owning a gallery in the city.

Today's lecture was on the differences between Monet and Manet, and I quickly zoned out. I was still absorbed in the dream from last night and I doodled an owl on my notebook.

"Ms. Williams? Would you care to answer my question?"

Without looking up, I began to list the characteristics of Monet's watercolors. When I finished, I looked up and raised my eyebrow. The teacher knew I was listening even when it seemed I wasn't paying attention, but since I was acing his class, the worst he could do was attempt to embarrass me in front of the other students. True to that thought, he made some snide remark in my direction. The class laughed, but I didn't let it faze me. I just had to make it through two more weeks of his self-proclaimed class of hell. Then I was free.

I worked hard in all of my classes and had taken summer courses to make up for changing majors when I was a junior. I was going to graduate this spring and then possibly move into the city. I had some money saved up that my dad didn't know about. I lived frugally and I didn't want to rely on him or my step-mom any more than I already did. They thought following my dream of art was a waste of time, but it was the only passion I had.

At the end of the lecture, I was called to the podium as the rest of the students left. Dr. Ogden gave me grief about paying attention and gave me an additional assignment to make his point. I shrugged and grabbed my bag. Two pages on watercolors was something I could write on my break tonight at work. If he thought he was going to break me, he didn't know me very well. He simply didn't have that power over me.

"Shit," I muttered as I settled into my studio space for the next class.

Why had I thought that? The labyrinth wasn't real. It was merely what haunted me, a teenager's anxiety condition revealed or something like that. It wasn't something to dwell on.

And yet that was all I could do. In my studio, the finished works were all of the same horrible, wonderful dream. I had done the clock in watercolors. Ludo was done in oil pastels. Hoggle was painted spraying the fairies, the initial visual I had of him. Sir Didymus was upon his steed Ambrosias above the Bog of Eternal Stench, done in charcoal. However, pencil was my preferred medium.

I had every grade of graphite available, and used only the best shaders and erasers. I even had an entire set of Prismacolor Softcore colored pencils, a gift from Toby from last Christmas. He had saved up his allowance for three months to afford it. I had an entire portfolio of additional pieces, but I only had out one that I thought would impress Professor Amanda Hart.

She insisted we call her Amanda, as 'an artist shouldn't stand on airs'. She loved to explore ideas and was always open to something she didn't understand. This is why I felt that I could show her this world I had dreamed. All semester, she cautioned us about not refining our work, but kept being drawn to my raw work, claiming its brilliance. So I was ready for her when she came to grade me.

"Sarah, I must say that I am impressed. I asked for 5 completed pieces. I see you have easily mastered that requirement," she said, laughing. "The pencil owl is by far my favorite. The detail you put into it is amazing. It looks real!"

I smiled. She went over each of the other pieces that were hanging and studied them just as intently as she did with the owl. When she was done, she wrote a number on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

"A ninety-six percent?" I asked, shocked. I was merely hoping for a passing grade, but I had no idea she felt so highly of my work.

"The other students won't get their grades until the end of the semester, but I wanted you to know how I feel about your work. You have the gift, Sarah." She pulled a stool over to my table and sat. "Now, why don't you show me the pieces that you are hiding?"

I shyly pulled my small portfolio out of my messenger bag. None of the pages were bigger than a sheet of copy paper, but they were the ones I loved most. They were the drawings of the labyrinth. Some of them were sketched quickly. Others I had spent the time shading and detailing. It just depended on my mood. They were the images I saw in my dreams. They were my nightmares. They were something so much more, but there were no words that could describe them.

The last page was the one I was dreading seeing. It was one thing to detail the owl. To give form to the man behind the animal was much more difficult. I had restarted this particular piece more times than I wanted to count, but the end result was worth it.

The Goblin King was draped across his throne, playing with a crystal orb and looking extremely focused on whatever he saw in the glass. Goblins and other creatures were scattered across the floor, drinking and partying. The faint shadow of a baby was in a corner, striped pajamas an all too familiar reminder of what could have been. He looked real enough to touch, and far too handsome. Maybe I had just made up his brilliance, but I somehow doubted that.

Amanda was silent for a long time as she flipped through the book. When she reached the king, my heart stopped beating. I wanted to grab the page and shred it, just so that his image wouldn't be sullied by anyone's impression.

"Simply amazing…" she murmured reverently.

I reached for my book and closed it, shoving it back into my back. She took the paper off of the desk and scratched out her first number, replacing it with something far higher.

"You deserve it," she said with a smile. "I look forward to seeing what you decide to submit to the Spring Art Show. I highly recommend the owl and the one of the king. They feel connected somehow and I think they would look wonderful framed together."

I stayed where I was after she left, staring at what I had created. If I hadn't needed to get to work, I probably would have let the memories, no… the dreams take over again, but I needed the money. I stopped at home to change my clothes and grab something to eat before my shift started at the diner.

I had a busy night, welcoming so many people that I thought I was going crazy. More than once, I caught a glimpse of white, a sarcastic laugh and my heart would race. There was nothing to suggest he was real, but I felt eyes on me, eyes that weren't there. I couldn't explain it, but I knew I was being watched.

"You okay, girl?" my coworker Liam asked, concerned when I dropped another tray on the floor. I wasn't a clumsy person, but I was off my game.

"Yeah," I replied. "I had a bad night and I had that huge project due today."

He and I had often talked about having trouble sleeping. He was an insomniac and could understand why I hated going to sleep. He was a business student at the college, but took online courses. It made it easier for him to sleep when he needed to. He was a nice guy, and we might have clicked romantically if he hadn't batted for the other team. Instead, he was one of very few people I might consider a friend.

My shift ended at midnight and the walk home was uneventful. Most of the students were cramming for finals instead of filling the streets with their drunkenness. I was grateful for the silence. I wasn't in the mood to deal with other people's problems. If I couldn't shake the funk I was in, I was going to have another terrible night ahead of me.

My answering machine was blinking and on it was a message from Toby, calling to just say hi. I smacked my forehead with my hand. I completely forgot to call him. We had this weird connection at times when he knew what I was thinking. He probably picked up on my mood and wanted to check in on me. I grabbed a Post It note and stuck it against the door so I would call him first thing in the morning. As it was Saturday, he would be watching cartoons and his mom wouldn't mind an early call.

I changed into lounge pants and flipped the television on. Channel surfing was normally a good way to distract me, but I was too on edge. Every little noise was making me jump. A storm was brewing outside and the first drops of rain hit the window. It may have been early December, but it wasn't cold enough yet for snow. The wind picked up and the tree outside my window wacked against the pane. IT was one of the few downsides to living on the third floor, besides not having an elevator in my building.

I gave up on staying in the living room and headed into the bedroom, hoping some light reading might lull me into dreamland. At least that was the plan, but the door to my balcony crashed open, sending leaves and water into my private space. I rushed forward to close it, but was shocked when a person dropped dead weight into my arms, soaking wet. I screamed and dropped them onto the floor, praying that I wasn't hallucinating. Then again, hallucinating might be a better alternative to having a possibly dead person on my kitchen floor.

I saw their back moving and sighed in relief. A dead person would raise a lot of questions. I knelt down and rolled them onto their side. Long blonde hair covered their face, but there was no mistaking who I was staring at.

"You," I whispered, backing away. I couldn't pretend it was a dream anymore. The Goblin King had found me.


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to give a shout out to my first reviewer: Honoria Granger! I'm excited for Chapter 2 and I hope the rest of my fans feel the same. Enjoy! Much love**

Chapter 2

I touched my visitor only long enough to drag him fully inside my apartment. I closed the door and locked it securely. I draped a towel over him in a small attempt to dry him off, but I wasn't sure what else I should do. I was freaked out and with good reason! The last time he had been in my presence, he had been trying to manipulate me. He had stolen my baby brother and was trying to keep us both inside of the Goblin world. Reality was like a slap in the face. It had all been real.

I was shaking. This couldn't be happening. Six years had passed. I wasn't a teenage anymore. I hadn't wished anyone away. Why was he here?

"Sarah…"

I turned to stare at him. His eyes were still closed, and his breathing wasn't labored anymore, but he was still out of it. My name slipped from his lips a second time, like a wish or a prayer. I couldn't call anyone for help. What would I say? People would think I was crazy. Okay, maybe I already was. That would be an acceptable answer to this crazy idea of the labyrinth. However, as I stared at him, I knew I wasn't crazy.

I sat back down where I could see him and waited. His face eventually smoothed out and he appeared to only be sleeping. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when his eyes finally fluttered open. I was mid-yawn and barely had time to react as he jumped up, searching his surroundings for some unknown danger. He found me hovering on the couch, using a pillow as a shield.

"Sarah." His voice was commanding and I stared up at him.

The tone was what I expected and exactly what it was all those years ago. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but I was in no mood to deal with a cranky king. "What do you want, Jareth? Other than to be royal, cocky ass?"

He towered over me, but I wasn't a little girl anymore. I put on my big girl panties and stood up, facing off against him. He was still a good seven inches taller than me, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. If he was here for a fight, I had beaten him once. I could do it again.

He sighed. "Still so sure you know what I'm thinking, aren't you, my dear?"

I was taken back. I wasn't sure what his game was when he moved around me to sit down, covering his face with his arm. He was very quiet. I got up and got a glass out of the cabinet. I filled it with water from the tap and brought it to him, a silent offer of peace. He took it without looking at me and downed half of it in one gulp.

"Thank you."

Now I was sure I had to be out of my mind. Everything I knew of him and of his world did not add up to him thanking anyone for anything… ever! I fought back yet another yawn, unsure what I should be doing with him in my apartment.

"Look, I'm going to try to get some sleep now. It's been a long day and an even longer night, courtesy of your arrival. Can you please not…" I had no idea how to phrase what I wanted him not to do. I didn't want him to do anything at all!

"I will not be moving from this spot, Sarah."

His eyes were still closed, and for whatever dumb reason I had, I believed him. I grabbed an extra blanket off my bed and put it on the armrest. I was being a gracious host or so I told myself. The king of nightmares just deposited himself into my life and I was being nice? It was definitely the lack of sleep. There was no other reason for it.

I was out before my head hit the pillow and I cursed the ringing phone that woke me hours later. I snuck into the kitchen, hoping I had imagined the previous night, but no, I couldn't be that lucky. Jareth was stretched out on the couch, snoring lightly. I grabbed the cordless phone before it could ring again and made my way back to the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind me.

"Hello?" I answered, crawling under the sheets.

"Good morning Sarah," my step-mother's voice said. "Toby insisted on calling you again today, but refused to let me dial until now. Something about waking you up. I tried to tell him you couldn't possibly still be asleep at noon, but you know how stubborn he can be."

I looked at the clock and groaned. She was right. It was lunchtime. "He means well, but I am awake. May I talk to him?"

I tried to keep my tone respectful, but I would rather suffer through a root canal than talk to my step-mom. She tried too hard and pushed even harder. She wasn't my mother, but felt like it was her God-given right to tell me what to do. It was one of the reasons I had fought so hard to go away to school.

"Hi Sarah!"

Toby's voice was an instant mood booster. "Hi honey! I'm sorry I didn't call you yesterday." I could hear shuffling and movement on his end of the line, followed by a closing door. "What are you doing?"

"Mommy was listening. She doesn't understand. He's back, isn't he?"

The time Toby and I had spent in the underground had affected us both. I dealt with my dreams, but he had developed a sixth sense. He knew things. He sometimes would tell me things that hadn't happened yet. The goblins magic had rubbed off on him and it took until recently for him not to blurt things out in front of anyone but me. For a while, his mom thought it was just cute make-believe, but she had started to notice that his behavior was becoming peculiar. That was I tried to call him regularly so he had someone to confide in. He was far older than his years.

I struggled with how to answer my brother. Honesty was usually best with him. "Yes. He's back and had made himself at home on my sofa." I took a deep breath, not wanting to ask him, but knowing I had to. "Do you know what he wants?"

"You."

I wasn't surprised. I had often thought about our last conversation, when he told me, "_I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave_". At fifteen, I hadn't understood. Even now, I was unsure of his motives and I needed to tread carefully.

"Be safe, Sarah. He scares me."

I wish I could have been there to hug him. "I'll be okay, darling. I am stronger than he is, remember?"

"I know. Just remember to come back for me, okay?"

I agreed, even though I had no idea what he was talking about. It wasn't anything unusual for him to say things like that and I hoped I could keep my promise. I asked him about school and his new puppy, happy to hear him return to being a normal kid. We said goodbye when his cartoons came back on.

"I sense you have changed."

I jumped, screaming. "You said you weren't going to move!"

He laughed, sounding almost cruel. "Then you have shown me where your bathroom was in this human place."

Clutching my heart, I pointed at the door next to my closet. "It's in there."

He nodded and went in. I scrambled to get into clean clothes before he was done. I had never dressed so fast in my life. He didn't acknowledge me as he passed through returning to my living room. I rushed through my morning routine, brushing the tangles out of my hair in record time, braiding it and brushing my teeth. I was on edge as I moved into the same space as him. He had returned to his previous seat, playing with one of his crystals.

I started a pot of coffee and dug through the fridge for the bagels I had gotten yesterday. I toasted them both and debated on a topping. "Butter and jam or peanut butter?" I called over my shoulder.

Instead of answering, he materialized beside me, way too close for comfort. He reached for the plain bagel and took a bite, making a face.

"Look, this is all I have and until I know why you decided to drop by for a visit, neither one of us going anywhere." I slathered my bagel with butter and handed him the knife. "Have at it."

He looked at me like I had three heads. At first, I thought it was because he was used to having servants butter his bagels for him, but as I ate, I watched him make his breakfast so that wasn't it. I finally had to ask him what was going on.

"It's you, Sarah. I thought it was only towards the child, but instead I find that where once was a kitten, I am now facing a territorial lioness. This change is most… unexpected."

I rolled my eyes and took a long drink from my mug. The coffee was a little bitter, but it was still better than all other options. "What do you want, Jareth?"

At the use of his name, I saw a ripple in his mask. "Use my name less frequently."

"So sorry, Jareth," I replied sarcastically, watching him shiver again.

"Names have power, Sarah, especially in the Underground. You would do well to bear that in mind."

"Whatever, your highness," I said, sweeping down into a theatrical bow. I shook my head and leaned against the counter. "So what are you doing here?" If I was expecting an answer, I would have been sorely disappointed. He simply stared at me. I grabbed my jacket and my keys. I pointed at him. "Stay."

"And how shall I amuse myself while you're gone?"

"Hm… let's see. Why don't you contemplate all of the ways that I could destroy you, pick the most horrid of them, and just go do it yourself?"

I was out the door and his response was so soft that I couldn't be sure I him properly. It sounded like he said, "Haven't you already done just that?"

My head was all over the place. Thank goodness I didn't have to work today. I headed for the art building, hoping being surrounded my work would help ease the tension that was in my chest. I waved to a couple people I knew outside the door, and heard them gossiping about the man upstairs with long blonde hair.

"He was gorgeous!" the one girl cried, giggling. Her friend agreed and on they went.

I sent up a prayer, hoping it would be any other person I would find, but of course I had no such luck. My guest was even charming Amanda. I sent up a thank you prayer that he had at least altered his appearance so that he looked like any other college student instead of a renaissance faire performer.

"I can't believe she drew you so perfectly! I thought it was simply a fabulous imagination. I had no idea that you were a live model!" She was awestruck. I was nauseous.

"I see you found my studio just fine, didn't you?" I hissed, glaring at him.

He gave me one of his sickening smiles, kissing the back of her hand. "Your directions were impeccable, my dear. Thank you for inviting me to see what you have created. Your professor has been showing me your latest compilation."

I groaned. "Great. That's just… great." I literally shoved him into the room and closed the door in Amanda's face. I whirled around, furious. "What the hell were you thinking, showing up here? This is my world. Go back to your own!"

He waved his hand around. "I found myself bored in your apartment and decided to discover what holders your attention in the Aboveground. I find these drawings most… captivating."

Of course he would. It was all the proof he needed that he and the labyrinth was never far from my thoughts. I needed to get away from me. I pushed past him, but he grabbed my arm.

"Why do you insist on denying what is so clear to me?" He gestured to the walls around us. "You have not left my labyrinth."

"I won my brother back. I beat you! That's all it ever was, just some messed up dream."

He pulled my hand against his chest. I could feel his heart beating. "Am I still just a dream, Sarah?"

His seriousness in his voice was chilling. I risked a glance to his face. His eyes were on me, filled with some dark emotion. His grip on me tightened and I was pulled even closer to him so that we were just a breath apart.

"Deny me," he begged, but I couldn't.

I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so this wasn't entirely the direction I was planning for this story, but even though it's different, I find that I like where it's going. For those of you who feel Jareth has become too soft, give me a few more chapters, I beg you! A shout out to my newest reviewer: DieKochbaI! I hope you enjoy Chapter 3 and as always, much love!**

Chapter 3

The power rushed at me like he had been holding back the ocean. I was drowning in it. I shut my eyes and stifled a scream. What had I just done? This was not my plan, but I couldn't avoid my destiny. I took a giant step backwards and bumped my easel. At least I was still Aboveground. He hadn't stolen me away to the Underground… yet.

His voice was in my head. "_I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave_."

I needed to be calm. I needed to think. I needed to be brave. "What have you done to me, Jareth?"

He let go of me, as visibly shaken as I was. "I have done nothing that you had not already desired." He crossed his arms. "Would you prefer me to leave you?"

I nodded, suddenly very cold. He vanished without another word. I scrambled to pull my emergency cell phone out of my pocket. I hit the first speed dial, praying that he was expecting me.

"Sarah?"

Toby's tiny voice on the line gave me some hope, but I could hear my father in the background. I had to keep this brief. "Toby, I need a yes or no answer from you. Am I supposed to trust him?"

I was met with silence for long minutes and it wasn't the answer I was hoping for. "I think so."

Damn. Oh well, so much for just chalking this up to the biggest mistake I could have ever made.

I took the long way home. Okay, I took every detour I could think of. I stopped at the diner to chat with Liam. I ran into the local grocery store and picked up random ingredients. I got to the checkout and just stared at my basket. I apologized to the cashier and left without buying anything. I walked through the park until it got too dark to see. Eventually, I couldn't make any more excuses. I had to face him.

My apartment was empty to my surprise. I waited for an hour, but he didn't show. I ordered a couple of pizzas, not knowing what he liked or if he would even eat it, but I needed something in my stomach to stop the flip flops. I refused to admit that I was worried. If this was just a game he was playing, then he was cheering for the wrong team.

The clock never slowed, coursing further into the night. I was still alone and nothing I did helped. I tried sketching. I cleaned my bathroom. I even reorganized my fridge and made a list of what I actually needed to buy from the store. I eventually just crashed onto the couch and watched the hands tick the seconds by.

"Jareth…" I whispered, wondering where the hell he was.

The air shimmered in front of me and like that, he was there. "You rang?"

I jumped. I hadn't expected that to work! "You heard me?"

He sat next to me, opening the pizza box and raising an eyebrow. "You have a peculiar idea of what constitutes nourishment," he said, taking a bite of a slice of the Hawaiian. He made a face, but took another bite.

"Answer me."

He sighed, his slice going onto the plate I handed him. "More accurately, I felt you calling to me." He rubbed his face with his hand. I hadn't noticed how tired he looked, or the fact something must actually be wrong for him to search me out. "It is how it was claimed to be with a Champion of the Labyrinth. They can call to the king and they must be answered. This is why I cautioned you earlier, because it goes both ways… Sarah."

This time I felt it. It was like a string tugging at me. I knew it was his power just by the way it felt. It was a dangerous caress against my mind, a cruel taunt of desire and passion.

"So how many champions have there been?" I asked as I rubbed my arms. I was seriously freaked out. I needed to talk about something other how he made me feel. For that, I didn't have an answer.

"None before you," he replied, focusing his attention on the wall across from us. "And none since."

I was stunned. I was the only one who had ever done it? That couldn't be possible. It wasn't like I was anything special, but then again with the way he looked at me, maybe I was.

"The Labyrinth has changed since you left us. I had thought it a natural progression, but now…"

My interest was piqued. "But now what?"

"My best advisors believe that the Labyrinth is ill. A sickness has overtaken it, bringing an evil darkness with it."

I laughed. "It was always an evil place."

He shook his head. "Only in your memories. You did not see the beauty of my world."

He was angry. Unfortunately, it was completely directed at me. To distract both of us, I turned the television on, channel surfing for a few minutes before he grabbed the remote out of my hands. He hit the off button violently and threw the remote across the room.

"You're acting like a child, Jareth."

His voice was cold. "No more than you." He stood so suddenly, that I got dizzy from watching him. He started to pace across the room. His movements weren't all completely cloaked in magic, but he was so damn graceful. "I offered you the world and you… you refused to see past your only thought of retrieving your brother!"

Now I was angry too. "Because you refused to give him back!"

"You are the one who wished him away!" I couldn't argue that point. "Everything I've done, I've done for you!"

A small spark of recognition bloomed. "And you move the stars for no one."

He stopped stalking about and turned to face me. I froze as he closed the distance between us. He reached to cup my cheek ever so gentle. "To this day, I would move them for you."

I wanted to keep the idea that he was a cruel man, that his only joy was to make others miserable, but the look on his face made my breath catch. It was the look I couldn't decipher as a teenager, but now it made sense. Somehow, the Goblin King had found out what his heart was for.

"Sarah…" My name was silk across his lips. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. His dark eyes searched mine.

I placed my hand back against his chest, feeling his heart. I closed my eyes and concentrated on that one thing. Was it possible that I could return the feelings he was offering? I had never had any interest in boys throughout high school. Even in college, I was too wrapped up in my art to date. I had been asked out, sure, but none of the guys had been worth my time. The rawness on Jareth's face… was that worth it?

"My offer still stands. You need only agree," he said.

There was a note of something different in his words. I had never heard it from him before. It sounded like fear, but why would he be afraid? He was the king. He shouldn't be afraid of anything.

He waited for me for all of these years. He came back for me. There was a strong possibility that he might care for me, given what I felt beneath my hand. Could I leave behind everything I knew for a man I didn't know? Was I willing to give up my future for a dream I thought I had left behind? Would Jareth be the man I wanted him to be or the cruel master I thought he was?

"Sarah?"

I hadn't realized how long I had been lost in my own thoughts. His face was hardening right in front of me, expecting to be rejected again. I moved my hand to his face, brushing his hair back from his face and forcing him to look at me.

"Yes, Jareth. My answer is yes… on one condition."

His face went from a smile to a frown, harshness once again directed at me. "Why am I not surprised, my Champion? What are your demands?"

"Three months. I have three months to decide if I want to stay in the Underground. If I want to return home in that time, you don't fight me. You don't try to make me stay."

"And if you choose to stay?"

"Then I'm yours, completely." I laughed. "It's only forever, right?"

He nodded slowly. "I agree to your terms."

He yanked me against him and without a word, the world around us fell away. I clenched eyes shut, praying the spinning would stop. I was never good on carnival rides and this felt way too close to the Tilt-A-Whirl for my tastes. His grip on me never lessened, thankfully. As much as I might not want to admit it, I felt protected in his arms. The ruffles of his shirt were softer than I expected and I buried my face in them.

"We're almost there," he said above the rushing wind.

I nodded and held onto him. The ground came up fast, and the stop of motion made me stumble and fall, hitting the ground hard. I gave myself a moment to make sure my dinner wasn't going to come back up. I got to my feet slowly, dizzy but otherwise okay. Jareth was nowhere in sight, but the gates to the Labyrinth were right in front of me.

"Sarah, you just got duped," I muttered.

I looked around and there was nothing else to see in any direction. I figured I would at least check out the gates. Nothing seemed amiss so I pushed my way into the first pathway.

"Hello?" I called to see if anyone was around.

"Allo again!" I heard the small sound and knelt, happy to recognize the blue worm. "Whatcha doing back 'ere, missy?" he asked, moving onto a ledge so that I could see him better.

"I made a deal with the Goblin King," I replied, annoyed. "And he just up an disappeared on me."

The worm shook his head. "He does that. No use takin' offense to it."

I asked him about his wife and was introduced to both her and his two children. "You have a beautiful family."

He thanked me and offered me a cup of tea, which I politely declined. "So you'll be searching for him now?"

"That's the plan, but I have no idea where to start."

"Not in 'ere, that's for sure. Ain't nobody been living in that castle for years. Not since you left."

"What's happened? He said something about the labyrinth being… sick."

"That's right," he said. He looked around, making sure we were alone. "Foul things are moving in shadows. Me and the missus are moving on, looking for a new place to settle in. Don't know why it's happening, but you're the only one who can fix it."

"Me?" Why wasn't I shocked that Jareth had left something important out? Me and that King were going to need to have a little chat.

"A Champion is the only one who can heal a labyrinth. You would've found that out if the king hadn't fallen for you. He was so intent on keeping you here for himself that he forgot about the other parts of our world that needed you."

We talked for a bit longer before I needed to get moving. I bid him farewell and promised to visit him again soon. I moved into the labyrinth, using the worm's directions to take a shortcut to the center. The city that surrounded the castle was in abandoned. I moved quietly, afraid of what was lurking behind every corner. I made my way up the streets, but what I faced at the top broke my heart.

The castle was in ruins, broken stones and crumbling steps at every turn. I had finally made up my mind to go inside anyway when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I screamed and hit my assailant as hard as I could.

"Ow! That hurt!"

I jumped back. "Hoggle?"

"Who else did you expect?" He rubbed his arm. I dropped down and hugged him fiercely amidst his protests. "If you missed us so much, why you stop contacting us?"

I found a stone to sit on and rested my head in my hands. "I didn't think there was room in my world for you. I thought it would be better to just let you go. All of you. You, Ludo, Sir Didymus. But now I'm back."

His expression was hopeful. "You're staying?"

I nodded, but didn't elaborate on my deal with the king. I wanted to ring his neck for abandoning me. He so had a lecture coming to him.

"Wait a second. Hoggle, is something worked in my world… something magic… would it work here?"

"Of course. The Aboveground is a muted place for magic. Here, it's like breathing."

I figured as much, but I wanted to make sure. I moved into an open area of the courtyard and stood up tall. "Jareth, get your royal pansy ass over here… now!"

The air around me crackled with power. Hoggle searched for a place to hide and settled for cowering behind me as his Highness took shape.

"Where have you been, Sarah? I have been searching for you. Do you realize how dangerous this place has become?"

I poke him in the chest. "Don't you dare chastise me and don't even think about acting all concerned. You were the one who evaporated and left me alone."

He had changed into his regal clothes and a cape so soft I had to fight the urge to stroke it. He looked damn good, but I was still pissed.

"I was merely giving you the time to rest while I made sure accommodations were being made for you."

I gestured to the structure around us. "Nice accommodations."

"This is not my home, Sarah. This is a tool when the Labyrinth is being used. My castle is many leagues from here and I did not wish you to exert more energy until I knew things were ready," he said, obviously frustrated. He glared at my companion. "Hello Higwort."

"Hoggle," I replied automatically.

We stared at each other until he sighed. "Fine. I was wrong to have left you. Now, may we please remove ourselves from this place? The hour is late and I am famished."

I remembered he hadn't eaten much of the pizza. I groaned. "I'm sorry, Jareth. I always seem to assume the worst of you."

"That's to be expected, my dear."

I waved to Hoggle and took Jareth's offered arm. We shimmered away, but thankfully there was no spinning this time. Magic worked differently in this realm, I thought, hoping to understand it better in time.

5


End file.
